Salsa Verde

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Homemade salsa verde is a classic Mexican green salsa that is bursting with flavor. This easy salsa is made with tomatillos, jalapenos, cilantro, onions, and garlic. Tastes great on tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and more!

29 CAL 6g CARBS 1g FAT 1g PROTEIN
2 Comments

This roasted salsa verde is made with fresh tomatillos, spicy jalapenos, and the bright taste of cilantro. Serve it on your favorite Chicken Street Tacos or Steak Tacos for a meal everyone loves. It's great as a dip or sauce. Perfect for Taco Tuesday!

If you are in the mood for a smoky and spicy salsa that gives your food a pop of color, then salsa verde is just for you! It's a bright, smoky salsa with a slightly sweet undertone.

I absolutely love salsa of almost any kind and have started making my own at home because it just tastes so much better than the jarred kind you can buy in stores. This is a fairly traditional salsa verde, but with the roasted tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, and garlic, it adds a great smoky quality.

I love to jar this salsa to have on hand or to give out as gifts. It can be used as a dip for tortilla chips, added as a topping on tacos, or used to cook proteins like this slow cooker salsa verde chicken. Some people even like to drizzle it on top of scrambled eggs or as part of a western omelet. If you like things really spicy, add some of this habanero salsa as well.

No matter how you use it, this salsa verde is bursting with so much flavor. I used all whole and fresh ingredients, and you really can taste the difference.

Mexican salsa verde with tomatillos, jalapenos, and cilantro blended in a jar with chips on the side.

Key Ingredients For Homemade Salsa Verde

If you have ever made fresh salsa or pico de gallo, then you can make this! Here is a bit more information about what I used.

  • Tomatillos: Use fresh tomatillos that you husk and wash. This is the main ingredient in this salsa recipe. Canned tomatillos can also work but the flavor will be slightly different since they won’t roast and brown.
  • Onion: Any type of onion will do (red, yellow, or white). I like to use white onion in my salsa. Just quarter it - don't dice it up too small.
  • Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves. You don't even have to peel them.
  • Jalapenos: If you want the salsa to taste milder, use fewer jalapenos. If you want it to taste spicier, then add some serrano peppers!
  • Salt: Add this to taste. Make your salsa as salty as you want. Some recipes use chicken bouillon in place of the salt. This is also an option, especially if you plan on cooking with the salsa verde.
  • Cilantro: If you don't like how cilantro tastes, just leave it out. You can also replace it with parsley for that pop of freshness.
  • Lime: Add as much as you need. The more lime you add, the sweeter and zestier it will taste.

Note: For a full list of ingredients and detailed instructions on how to make this salsa verde recipe, take a look at the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

What Does Salsa Verde Taste Like?

Mexican salsa verde (green salsa) is typically made with tomatillos, which are a zesty green tomato that tends to be less sweet than a red tomato.  The tomatillos can be either raw or roasted in salsa verde.

Then they are combined with onion, cilantro, lime juice, and either jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers. This gives the salsa a slightly tart, spicy flavor with lots of flavor from the cilantro and lime juice. It's zingy, bright, and pairs great with lighter Mexican dishes like Fish Tacos or Chicken Tostadas.

Typically in Mexico, salsa verde is served with classic dishes like tacos, tostadas, and grilled meats. It is also used as a cooking sauce in many Mexican recipes like enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles, and tomatillo chicken. It can even be used as a shortcut when making traditional dishes like Pozole Verde and Chile Verde.

What To Serve With Tomatillo Salsa Verde

There are so many ways that you can enjoy this salsa! One of my favorite things to do is make my own homemade tortilla chips and dip them in this salsa verde. It's one of my favorite chip and dip recipes!

Another thing you should try is to drizzle it on top of your favorite veggie tacos. It really brings out the flavor of the grilled vegetables. If you have a frittata or quiche, add a little bit on top as a breakfast condiment too.

Use this salsa to make this tasty Instant Pot Salsa Chicken or Salsa Verde Turkey Tacos.

It also makes a delicious breakfast over eggs or served with these easy Breakfast Tacos.

Green salsa verde with blended tomatillos and jalapeños on a tortilla chip.

Recipe Tips And Ideas For Roasted Salsa Verde

Follow these tips to make sure that this salsa turns out smooth and spicy every single time!

  • Broil the vegetables before you puree them. This brings out a smoky flavor that you can't get any other way.
  • Puree everything in a blender or food processor. If you don't have either of those things, you can use an electric hand mixer. This will give you a chunkier salsa.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
  • Make creamy salsa verde by adding an avocado to the blender along with the other ingredients. For a chunky salsa, dice an avocado and add it right to the mix.
  • When it comes to blending this green salsa, it's up to you to decide on the texture. Only blend it slightly if you want chunky salsa or blend it more for a thinner salsa to use with enchiladas or chilaquiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers…

Yes, you can use an air fryer instead of a broiler. Your goal is to roast the tomatillos, garlic, onion, and jalapenos before you puree them in the blender. Keep air frying them at 380°F until they start to char slightly.

Yes, you can certainly eat them raw. Keep in mind that they have a very tart taste - that is why people usually add lots of other ingredients to the salsa.

Tomatillos have a sour and sweet taste, kind of like a green apple. It has citrus flavors with a dense and dry texture.

You can buy them all year long at the grocery store. Their natural growing season is from early summer until fall. They have a dry green husk. Even though the name looks like "tomato," they couldn't be more different!

The easiest way to make salsa verde less spicy is to use fewer jalapeno peppers in the recipe. You can also remove the seeds and veins from the chile peppers since a lot of the heat is in the seeds. Finally, you could swap in a less spicy pepper like a poblano.

If you have already made the salsa and find it too spicy, try adding a touch of honey or sugar. If that doesn't work, add more tomatillos to balance the flavors. You could also add an avocado to the mix to tone down the spicy flavors.

Some recipes call for boiling the tomatillos instead of roasting them. This is also an option, although I find the flavor isn't as bright as when the tomatillos are roasted in the oven. You can also make raw tomatillo salsa. Just skip the roasting. This version of green salsa is less smoky and has a brighter flavor from the raw onion and garlic.

Tomatillo green salsa verde in a small bowl with tortilla chips.
The Recipe
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Salsa Verde

29 CAL 6g CARBS 1g FAT 1g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 20 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 30 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.5 lbs tomatillos, husked and washed
  • 1/2 onion, quartered
  • 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (more to taste)
  • 1/3 cup cilantro
  • 1 lime (more to taste)

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Instructions

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1

Turn on your broiler and get it nice and hot. Place the whole peeled tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and quartered onion pieces in a shallow baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.

Tomatillos, onions, and garlic in a baking dish.
2

Place the whole peeled tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and quartered onion pieces in a shallow baking dish. and roast under the broiler for about 10 minutes, turning half way, until vegetables are charred on the outside.

Roasted tomatillos, onions, and garlic in a baking dish.
3

Take them out of the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Pull the stems from the jalapenos, Remove the peel from the garlic, it should just squeeze out. Add everything into a blender. Make sure to also add the juices from the baking dish that seeped out during cooking.

Tomatillos being blended for salsa verde.
4

Add the cilantro, salt, and lime juice to the blender as well. Blend to your desired consistency. I prefer a smoother salsa, but you can also just pulse a few times for a thick and chunky salsa. It should keep for between 5-7 days.

Lime juice being added to homemade green salsa in a blender.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 29
Calories from Fat 7
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g
1%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 120mg
5%
Total Carbohydrate 6g
2%
Dietary Fiber 2g
7%
Sugars 3g
Protein 1g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Salsa Verde
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Nicole
September 4, 2022 - 08:53
Add a Rating:
5
This salsa is amazing! Thank you so much for a great recipe :)
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Cynthia Rowley
April 30, 2022 - 02:27
Add a Rating:
5
Absolutely beautiful recipe. I love a good salsa verde. I didn't realize how simple would be to make it I was always intimidated by the tomatillos as we didn't have them growing up. Thanks!
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